The Man City man who could end Middlesbrough's 9-year wait for the Premier League | OneFootball

Sverre Nypan hailed by Middlesbrough boss Rob Edwards who could be the key to their success.

Sverre Nypan could be the man to take Rob Edwards' Middlesbrough to the Premier League.

Middlesbrough have been winning on and off this pitch this summer with a busy transfer window which has translated into high performance levels.

Boro are currently sitting pretty at the top of the Championship with four wins from four, making them candidates for a promotion push early on this season.

With the likes of Callum Brittain, Matt Targett, and David Strelec now through the door just to name a few, Edwards has got the reinforcements to take his side to the next level and mount a charge for the Premier League after a nine-year absence.

Sverre Nypan lauded by Rob Edwards for his performance vs Sheffield United

One man that could prove key to achieving that feat is the 18-year-old Sverre Nypan.

The Norwegian youngster joined Boro this summer on loan until the end of the season and has brought much hype around his name.

Nypan made the move to England when he transferred from Rosenborg to Premier League Giants Manchester City for a fee of £12.5m this July, and has since been labeled as an exciting prospect after first bursting onto the scene in Norway at just 15 years of age.

His move to the Riverside has given him the opportunity to gain regular game-time and much-needed experience playing in the Championship under Edwards, which could well take Boro one step further.

The young Norwegian has had an impressive start to life on Teesside, and his 45-minute cameo against league strugglers Sheffield United before the international break was met by plenty of praise from his new manager.

Nypan entered the fray for the second-half in replace of fellow new man Sontje Hansen and quickly made his mark.

Obviously, being well-known for his attacking prowess and dynamism going forward, what pleased Edwards the most at the weekend was his defensive desire also, as he made some vital blocks in and around his own box, as well as a superb tackle to prevent a Blades counter-attack from a botched Boro corner.

Edwards said via the Northern Echo, "I thought Sverre was really good...My most pleasing part, other than the goal, was Sverre blocking one in the 18-yard box and then celebrating with a chest pump with Callum Brittain."

He went on to say, "That’s an 18-year-old lad who is quite a flairy player. But to then be celebrating blocks…he’s got used to England already. I love that!"

Sverre Nypan could take Middlesbrough to the Premier League

Having gained maximum points in the Championship up to this point, Middlesbrough look like a real outfit to watch out for as the season kicks into full flow.

With the transfer window now closed, Edwards looks to have got his side settled in terms of personnel and playing style.

Boro have looked solid defensively with only one goal conceded as of yet, and in attack, Tommy Conway has found his feet with goals in back-to-back games.

Add Nypan to the mix, and his exciting nature could prove vital in Middlesbrough's search for promotion this season.

Middlesbrough have had much movement in the window, with one of the club's most notable names in Finn Azaz making the move to Southampton, which has left a void to fill in attacking midfield.

Others in the squad, such as Morgan Whittaker, have yet to start firing this season, which could mean that Nypan could be given his opportunity to impress on a regular basis in one of those two number 10 roles that Edwards is deploying behind the main centre-forward.

The young Norwegian had a highly impressive 2024 campaign with Rosenborg, where he clocked up eight goals and seven assists in 28 league appearances.

These numbers are the kind that prove Nypan is more than capable of producing in the Championship, and it could just be a matter of time until we see it.

His defensive numbers for Rosenborg in 2024 were superb too, with him ranking in the top 94.8 percentile of his positional rivals in the Norwegian top-flight for duels won (152), 91.4 percentile for possession won in the final third (15) and 85.3 percentile for recoveries (112) - as per FotMob.

As such, there is even more evidence that he really is an excellent all-round midfielder, who can play a key role for Boro both in attack and defence this season.

"I want Sverre to do well, but I also know if Sverre does well, Middlesbrough do well," Edwards continued via the Northern Echo.

"I'd like to see Middlesbrough back where they should be in the Premier League. Of course, I want to see him doing all he can to get Middlesbrough back at the top.